85% of Australians Would Switch Retailers if AI Finds a Better Deal this Peak Shopping Season

New Manhattan Associates research reveals how AI could challenge retailer loyalty, with stock availability and fulfilment also influencing where shoppers buy

SYDNEY, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian retailers could face growing pressure to win over price-conscious shoppers this Black Friday and Christmas shopping period, with 85% of Australians willing to switch retailers if artificial intelligence (AI) found the same product for a better price elsewhere, according to new research commissioned by supply chain and commerce technology leader Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH).

The findings come after Australians spent a record $23.8 billion over the extended Black Friday shopping period last year, according to CommBank iQ, setting the stage for another competitive sales period.

AI could put retailer loyalty to the test

The survey of Australian consumers found that 83% expect AI to play a role in their shopping activities over the coming months. Finding the best deals or lowest prices (35%) and comparing products, brands or retailers (36%) were the two leading ways respondents expected to use the technology.

With AI making it easier for shoppers to compare offers from different retailers, businesses could find themselves competing for customers who might previously have gone straight to their preferred brands or stores. However, while a lower price might attract a shopper's attention, it won't necessarily be enough to secure the purchase.

"AI is giving consumers another way to compare retailers, and that could make it harder for businesses to rely on established customer loyalty. If a shopper can find the same product for less elsewhere, they may be more willing to consider a retailer they haven't purchased from before," said Raghav Sibal, Vice President APAC at Manhattan Associates.

"But price is only one part of the purchasing decision. Retailers also need to make sure the product is available, the delivery options are convenient, and the overall experience gives customers confidence to complete their purchase."

A better price doesn't guarantee a sale

Despite their willingness to use AI to find better deals, most Australians are not prepared to take its recommendations at face value.

Nearly eight in ten Australians (78%) said they would check an AI-recommended deal against a retailer's website or other sources before purchasing. Price accuracy was the biggest concern, with 52% saying they would be most likely to double-check whether the price or discount was correct, followed by product information and reviews (23%) and delivery times or costs (20%).

Retailer websites and apps also remain important to the purchasing process. While 35% of Australians said they would be comfortable completing a purchase directly through an AI shopping assistant, more than half (53%) would prefer to complete the transaction directly with the retailer.

Stock availability could influence where shoppers buy

Beyond price, the research suggests that product availability and fulfilment could play an important role in determining which retailer consumers choose.

When asked which factor should determine an AI recommendation between retailers offering the same product at the same price, nearby stock availability was the leading response (39%), ahead of free delivery (28%) and faster fulfilment (27%).

Australians also appear willing to share information to help AI find products they can purchase locally. Three in four respondents (75%) said they would share their location with an AI shopping assistant to find nearby stock.

"An AI recommendation might bring a customer to a retailer's website, but the retailer still needs to deliver on what that customer expects. If the price doesn't match, the product isn't available or the delivery timeframe isn't suitable, the customer can easily look elsewhere," said Sibal.

"During peak shopping periods, retailers need accurate inventory information across their sales channels and flexible fulfilment options to meet changing customer demand. Getting these fundamentals right will be important to converting AI-driven interest into sales, regardless of where a customer begins their shopping journey."

-ends-

Methodology:

Manhattan Associates surveyed 500 Australian consumers.

About Manhattan Associates

Manhattan Associates is a global technology leader, providing supply chain and omnichannel commerce solutions with unmatched AI capabilities. We design, build and offer best-in-class, AI-powered, cloud-based solutions that drive resilience and efficiency for businesses. We enable enterprises to uniquely unify front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. 

Our commitment to innovation, cloud-native platform and API-first architecture create simpler experiences and faster paths to value for our customers. We empower them to preempt and react to emerging trends and global disruptions with technical expertise and operational confidence, transforming challenges into competitive advantage. For more information, please visit www.manh.com.au  

** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

85% of Australians Would Switch Retailers if AI Finds a Better Deal this Peak Shopping Season

HLB's strategic partnership unlocks new possibilities in cross-border banking, connecting customers to established global payment networks and building a foundation to serve them across more markets

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hong Leong Bank ("HLB" or the "Bank") today marked its strategic partnership with UnionPay International ("UPI"), strengthening global cross-border payment connectivity for customers travelling, conducting business and pursuing opportunities beyond Malaysia. In line with the proposition of "Connecting Borders, Commerce, Ties, and Horizons", the partnership highlights how HLB and payment networks can enable seamless and secure overseas payments and support closer connections between people and businesses across markets.

By leveraging UPI's integrated network with Weixin Pay, the collaboration enables HLB customers to transact effortlessly at over 120 million merchants across Mainland China, as well as participating merchants in Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Thailand. Whether shopping at department stores or dining at everyday local stalls, customers can pay directly via HLB QR Pay on HLB Connect. The feature natively complements HLB's existing multi-currency features on the HLB Pay&Save Account, allowing customers to lock-in favorable exchange rates and avoid the hassle of using third-party apps and wallet top-ups.

According to Kevin Lam, HLB's Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, "Our customers take us beyond Malaysia through the businesses they build, the family ties they maintain, and the opportunities they pursue. We want them to have the same confidence paying overseas as they do at home."

"At its core, a cross-border payment only works when trust exists on both sides of the transaction where customers know with certainty that their payment will go through, and merchants trust that they will receive it. Backed by over a century of heritage and innovation in cross-border payments in the community, our priority is ensuring that trust holds wherever our customers go. Partnering with UPI and tapping into their vast international network, including Weixin Pay, allows us to deliver that scale and certainty globally."

Carlson Li, Vice President of UPI, commented, "Our partnership with HLB demonstrates how interoperability can connect different payment ecosystems to deliver practical benefits for customers, where HLB customers can now access a wider merchant network directly from their banking app, making cross-border payments more convenient and supporting commerce between markets. We look forward to building on this partnership to extend payment accessibility, connect more customers and merchants, and create further opportunities for collaboration across the region."

Driven by rapid digital innovation, cross-border payments have expanded well beyond conventional cards and currency exchange, giving consumers more versatile, frictionless ways to transact internationally.

Underscoring the Bank's focus on customer-centric digital solutions, Andrew Jong, HLB's Managing Director of Personal Financial Services, said, "Digital innovation has fundamentally changed how people move and spend money abroad, unlocking greater convenience and flexibility than ever before. We recognise that customers have different payment preferences and needs when travelling across markets. Our focus is on ensuring our solutions remain relevant to those dynamic needs, giving customers true choice, security, and continuity wherever they go. This partnership with UPI is a key milestone in how we leverage innovations and ecosystem partners to expand our suite of cross-border payment capabilities."

HLB's broader cross-border payment offering gives customers multiple ways to pay overseas, including scanning participating merchant QR codes, displaying an in-app QR code for merchants to scan, linking eligible HLB cards to superapps in China like Weixin Pay, making direct credit and debit card payments, and using supported mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay.

The Bank will continue to build on its international collaborations to expand payment connectivity and support customers as their needs and ambitions grow across markets.

For more information, please visit: www.hlb.com.my/UnionPayQR   

** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

Hong Leong Bank Strengthens Cross-Border Payment Connectivity through Partnership with UnionPay International